Fear And Liberal Arts Essay

One might ask how the topic of fear relates to the liberal arts. Fear, although it manifests itself in physical and physiological symptoms, is an omnipresent force effecting the human race. The symptoms it causes and our responses influence our behavior, thoughts, and decisions. All of which are studied by liberal arts disciplines. To better understand the human response to fear, it helps to understand the body’s response. When a stimulus that triggers fear is encountered, impulses are sent from sympathetic nervous system to glands and smooth muscle. These impulses alert the adrenal medulla to release epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) into the blood stream. These hormones, often referred to as “stress hormones” cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Then corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) is released by the …show more content…
Media and journalism based on fear has become common place in popular culture. The idea, “if it bleeds, it leads” prevails in the news programming hierarchy accurately summing up the attitude that stories involving gore, injuries, and violence should be put at the beginning of a news report. Networks utilize “breaking news” headlines that are designed to capture the viewer’s attention by inciting fear. Many of these new stories offer a very superficial view of the topic, relying on alarming headlines to draw in the viewer, but offering little in depth on the subject. The facts in these high drama, breaking stories are often not fully checked before television shows air. Any misinformation is later corrected in a later update which generally isn’t promoted and airs towards the end of a broadcast making it unlikely the original viewers may even note the correction. Newspapers feature large attention getting headlines with short portions of the story on the front page, with the breadth of the story buried on later